Laser weapon simulator



April 5, 1966 A IMMARCO Eff- 3,243,896

LASER WEAPON SIMULATOR Filed Aug. 26, 1963 2. Sheets-Sheet l UnitedStates Patent O 3,243,896 LASER WEAPON SIMULATOR Anthony Immarco,Queens, Elmer F. Olsen, White Plains, and Peter M. Redmond, Elmhurst,N.Y., and Joseph M. Cestaro, Falls Church, Va., assignors to KollsmanInstrument Corporation, Elmhurst, N.Y., a corporation of New York FiledAug. 26, 1963, Ser. No. 287,389 1 Claim. (Cl. 35--25) This inventionrelates to a novel weapon simulator and more specificallyl relates to anovel weapon simulator which includes a pulsed laser device which willsubstantially identically simulate the shell burst provided by an actualweapon` on a remote target screen.

In the training of the gunner of a tank, it is first recognized that intactical situations the gunner while situated inside the right frontalportion of the tank turret must perform as a member ofV a weapons team.In this capacity several functions fall into the different categories ofhis duties. The gunner must search his preassigned sector for enemytargets during the target search mode. When moving from turret to hulldefilade (where the hull is behind cover and the turret is exposed, aposition generally employedy for direct fire) he is required to directthe driver. In the event of a return direct hit, causing the loss of thetank, commander, it may be the gunners function to doubleasV tankcommander. In all of these categories, the gunners prime `function is tolay the main weapon onto an enemy target, fire when on, and correct any`offset error established from a visual observation of the point ofimpact of the shot. He must also achieve a kill. on the next shot; thisis a necessary requirement in the case of active targets. Prior to this,and after correctly identifying the target, the tank commander fixes thetarget range, using an optical coupled range finder. This entiresequence ofV events: target identification, range determination, layingand firing of the main weapon, twice in succession if required, isusually performed in less than twenty seconds.

Thus, the success of a mission, the fastfirst round kill, is criticallydependenty on the thorough integration of the gunner and the weaponsystem. The number and complexity of some of these functions require fortheir most,V efficient execution the reduction of operator control ofhis weapon to an almost Vautomatic level. When this level of integrationhas been attained, the weapon is said to become an extension of thegunners own faculties. For this reason, proper automatic responses,precisely related to the giveny stimuli, require that theweaponsimulation process be an accurate facsimile of the original process.

In categorizing the opera-tor skills, movement of the turret and mainweapon in azimuth and the main Weapon in elevation by the gunner isaccomplished with different motions of the same hand, whilesimultaneously viewing theV target. Coordination, therefore, is one ofthe skills requiring development.

To accurately lay the weapon on the center of mass of the target, thegunner makes use ofthe primary method of adjustment calledburst-on-target. In this method, the gunner observes through hisdirect-nre sight the point on the sight reticle where the burst ortracer appears in relation to the target. He then uses this informationto lay the main weapon on theM target. Accomplishing the latter withoutovershoot, or oscillation of the main weapon about the center of targetmass, requires a fully developed kinesthetic sense; that is, the abilityto precisely gauge the necessary muscular control, which is exercisedthrough two degrees of freedom, to result in a precise lay of the mainweapon on the target.

3,243,896 Patented Apr. 5, 1966 As will be shown, the use of a laser asa weaponlsimulator which operates in connection with a reliectivetarget, will develop a burst pattern substantially identical to thatwhich would be observed by the explosion of live ammunition on a reducedscale. That is to say, when using the simulator device at ranges lessthan one thousand yards, a simulated shell burst is observed whichaccurately represents bursts observed in actuality at ranges of theorder of 1,000 to 2,000 yards. Therefore, the specific properties of thelaser burst on a reflective target are substantially identical to whatwould be observed in actuality, thus permitting the development of thehighly critical coordination and kinesthetic skills which must beacquired by a gunner.

Accordingly, a principal object of this invention is to provide a novelgun simulator training device.

A further object of this invention is to accurately simulate a shellburst by means of a pulsed laser device.,

A further object of this invention is to providean accurate system forthe training of tank gunners which eliminates the expense and danger ofthe use of live ammunition,

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from thefollowing description when taken in connection with the drawingsinwhich:

FIGURE l illustrates the placement of'a tank having a laser weaponsimulator. secured thereto in: a target areal.

FIGURE 2 shows annexploded perspective View of the laser simulatorweapon and clamping means for clamping it to the tank weapon.

FIGURE 3 is a simplified block diagram of the laser weapon device.

Referring first to FiGURE 1, wel have illustrated therein a tank 10 inal training area. The tank 10 has a weapon 11 which has secured theretoa pulsed laser device. 12 which has the axis thereof aligned with theaxis of weapon 11.

A reflecting target 13 is then remotely positioned from the tank at adistance, f-or example, of 200 feet. If desired, the target 13 may haveslightly darkened porT tions, such as portion 14, or any other typicaltarget configuration which serves as a minute target area for purposesof training.

FIGURE 2 illustrates the laser device of FIGURE l as.y being comprisedof a laser transmitter 2,0V which has a sighting telescope 21 thereonand an optical focusing system 2,2. The sighting telescope 21r will haveappro.- priate reticule means` therein as in the normal weapontraining'device. Optical system 2,2,isan oppropriate collimatingtelescope which will focus the output pulse of laser 20 on a remotetarget, The: optical focusing system has a rst mount 23 which carries auniversal clamp 24, The universal` clamp 24 may then be placedimmediately beneath the gun barrel 11 of FIGURE 1, with the securingplates 25 placedV over the threadedl extensions 26 and 27 of clamp 24.VThe rriount is then secured to the barrel by the tightening of winglnuts28 and 29 on screws 26 and 27 respectively. A similar mountf ingarrangement is secured to the transmitter 20 and inf cludes universalclamp 30, plate 31 andwing nuts 32 and 33 which are secured to screws 34and 35 respectively to thereby provide a second clamping means to thegun barrel 11. The universal clamp 30 however is secured to thetransmitter 20 through a bore sight error adjustor linkage 36 whichpermits adjustment of the axis of the laser in both altitude andazimuth.

A simplified block diagram of the laser weapon simulator of FIGURE 2 isshown in FIGURE 3 where it is seen that an appropriate power supply 40is provided for driving the laser transmitter 20 in the well-knownmanner. The laser transmitter 20 could, for example, be of the typedisclosed in U.S.

Patent 2,929,922 or of any other general well-known type of laserarrangement. The laser transmitter 20 and the optical system 22 to whichit is coupled are both shown in FIGURE 3 to be schematically connectedto the clamping structure of adjustment system identified by numeral 41.To complete the weapon simulator system, it is then seen in FIGURE 3that the optics are coupled to the target 13.

Telescope 21 permits bore sighting the laser transmitter 20 and servesas the gunners direct-tire optical system. In a typical device, theoutput of power supply 40 could be coupled to the laser lamp source (notshown) and triggerable by the gunner during normal use by mechanicaltriggering means (not shown) on the laser transmitter.

The pulsed laser output consists of a burst of intense red light clearlydetectable to the eye. Care must be taken to have personnel away fromthe direct line of the laser pulse since permanent retinal damage may becaused by direct irradiation of the eye by a laser beam.

The invention recognizes that the laser will provide two of theessential features required for realistic simulation. One feature isthat its output is of finite duration, clearly visible to the eye andthus analogous to the limited time extent of a detonated shell. Thesecond feature, observable on viewing the back-scattering from theimpact of the light pulse on a specialized target, is the resemblance ofthis reected light to the back-flash observed when TNT, located at theend of a tank shell, explodes on impact. Mounting the proposed simulatoron the main weapon automatically places the positioning of the systemunder the gunners control. The added feature -of azimuth and elevationotset by adjustment means 36 of FIGURE 2 allows the gunnery officer toupset the laser boresight 21 to ensure a miss by the gunner on his firstshot.V In this way the necessity to introduce the exact amount of offsetto hit on the second shot develops the gunners coordination andkinesthetic sense. By contrasting the proposed simulation approach withother methods currently used in army short range installations, a betterappreciation of the present system can be obtained. The method currentlyemployed by the army on short target ranges involves the use of amachine gun mounted collinearly with the main weapon on the tank turretand controlled by the gunner. The advantages of this approach lie `inits simplicity and reliability, and to some extend, the realismcontributed by the sound of firing. The disadvantages, however, includethe hazards associated with bullets, which limit its application to onlyarmories providing proper personnel protection, and the effect of bulletholes on the target, thus requiring repeated change of tragets.A Theexistence of the bullet holes provides the gunner with an undesirablepermanent record, from a training point of view, to judge his next shot.Finally, on impact the bullet does not provide the ash usually observedfrom detonating shells in actual tactical operations.

Synchronization of film with the gunner firing button is a secondapproach. While this approach does provide a permanent record of aparticular shot, it does not contribute to the progressive developmentof the coordination and kinesthetic skills of the gunner. The skillsrequire a dynamic process for improvement, Whereas the photographicapproach is purely static.

The present system is mounted on the main weapon. It provides a positiveindication of the point of impact, does negligible damage to the target,is quite realistic in that the back-scattered signal is of limitedduration, and resembles, to a large extent, the flash of a detonatingshell. In addition the enormous light intensity of the system providesan outdoor as well as indoor capability.

A complementary aspect of the proposed system isthe use of acommercially available retro-reector target 13 made up to the targetstandards described in Army Manual FM 17-12, page 201, for 20G-footranges. It is a contributary factor to the realistic effects observedwhen tiring a laser on this type of surface.

It will be noted that experiments performed with the present systemplace the target 13 at ranges from 100 feet to 200 feet indoors as wellas outside whereby a clearly observable red flash is seen. Usingnon-optimized optics at 200 feet the size of this spot is less than twoinches in diameter. When using commercially available lasers, the opticsmay be so adjusted that at an operational range of 200 feet a targetsize of the order of 1/2 inch or less may be obtained. The firing ratewhich depends on the laser transmitter, may be of the order of one shotper five seconds with a maximum not exceeding three shots per minute.The unit may be mounted on any type weapon such as the M-41, M-48 andvM--60 tanks with maximum azimuth and elevation offsets for boresightnot exceeding ilO mils.

Clearly, while the weapon is described herein as specifically applicableto tanks, the weapon may be useful in any direct firing type systemusing an explosive shell or in many cases even a non-explosive shell.

Although we have described preferred embodiments of this novelinvention, many variations and modifications will noW be apparent tothose skilled in the art, and it is therefore preferred to be limitednot by the specific disclosure herein but only by the appended claim.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive privilege orproperty is claimed are defined as follows:

A weapon simulator system comprising the combination of a weaponadjustable in azimuth and elevation adapted to fire a projectile of theexplosive type, a laser transmitter, a weapon sighting means operativelyconnected to said laser transmitter, a target remotely positioned withrespect to said weapon, and connecting means for connecting said lasertransmitter to said weapon with the optical axis of said laser beingsubstantially parallel to the axis of said weapon, said lasertransmitter comprising a pulsed laser device, a collimated opticaloutput system connected to said laser transmitter, said connecting meansincluding adjustment means for adjusting the elevation and azimuth ofthe optical axis of said collimated system with respect to the axis ofsaid weapon, said target comprising a rotoflective material; the lightburst appearing at the target as viewed from said weapon sighting meanssubtantially simulating the color, intensity and duration of an actualburst of an explosive projectile fired from said weapon.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,727,136 12/1955Vought 273-1011 2,929,922 3/1960 Schawlow et al. 250-199 2,934,6344/1960 Hellberg 273-1011 '2,995,834 8/1961 Rowe 273-101.1 3,026,615 3/1962 Aubert 35-25 3,063,161 11/1962 Baranoft 35-25 3,083,474 4/1963Knapp 35-25 3,104,478 9/1963 Strauss et al 35-25 3,143,811 8/1964 Tucciet al. 35-25 EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Exam/'fiel'.

LAWRENCE CHARLES, Examiner.

SHELDON M. BENDER, Assistant Examiner.

